This archive report was first published on 25 July 2019.
On July 1, 2019, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) sent a warning letter to Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) over the unauthorized alteration of the Sh48 billion Mombasa-Nairobi pipeline.
The pipeline, which was launched less than a year ago, has been plagued by leakages and theft of fuel through illegal taps.
According to Epra Director General Pavel Oimeke, the pipeline's design approved by the environmental watchdog provided for a digital leak detection system with the capacity to monitor the 450-kilometre line in real-time.
However, KPC dropped plans to install the leak detector, opting instead for a different design that did not include the digital system.
As a result, Epra has fired a warning letter to KPC, stating that the company and its executives may face punishment for failure to institute appropriate environmental, health, or safety control measures.
The Senate has directed Epra to recommend the prosecution of four KPC general managers who oversaw the construction of the pipeline, as well as the contractor, Zakhem International.
Penalties for the offense include a fine of not less than Sh10 million or a term of imprisonment of not less than five years, or both.
